- Ajanta is the only surviving example of painting of the first century BCE and the fifth century CE.
- Mainly deal with Buddhist jataka stories.
- It consists of a set of 29 caves, carved in a horse-shoe shape.
- The paintings are contributions from the period of Sungas, and Guptas.
- The walls of the caves have both murals and fresco paintings (painted on wet plaster).
- They use tempera style, that is use of pigments.
| Buddhist Bodhisattva Paintings | Meaning |
| Vajrapani | protector and guide, a symbol of Buddha’s power |
| Manjusri | manifestation of Buddha’s wisdom |
| Padmapani (Avalokitesvara) | symbol of Buddha’s compassion |